Wizard of Shapes
by Padfoot35
Summary: Yeah. I brought it back. Can't help myself. Yall can expect more frequent updates though since I got my computer fixed.
1. Prologue

Disclaimers Note: I, in no way shape or form own John Peel's characters, places etc. They arn't mine, I di not make them, I have no claim to them watsoever. However, the race Kidan, amung a few other things, along with the plotline, were made by me. Please respect that.  
  
Authors Note: This story is going to be my version of Shanara's life, up to the point were she meets the Trio. I find not many people write about her, so I took it upon myself to do so.It is by no means perfect, so please don't yell at me or something if you don't like what I've done with it. Review. Be nice. And enjoy the story.  
  
Prologue:  
  
Amung the inner ring of Planets in the Diadem, was a lonely, not well no place called Kidann. It was not well known, because it's people chose for it to remain that way. Not quite human, and not quite animal, this race of shapeshifters and nature lovers found early on, that many in the Diadem had no love for such as them. But not without reason. A long time ago, in what was refered to as the Dark Ages, the Kidan were thought of as monsters. Why? Because that was the way they led their lives. Barbaric. Like the animals they could so easily become. Eventualy, they realised their faults, that what they did harmed. And so, fearing themselves as much as anyone else, they barred themselves from all other planets, all other races. And as time went on, and the true reason was forgotten, many Kidan began to look upon other planets with great disdain. With their natural magical abilities, they became pirates of the other worlds.  
  
The people of a planet close to their own finaly decided they weren't worth haveing around. They saw them as monsters. And mayhaps they were. The Kidan were raided and plundered and disposed of as well as these others knew how, but they didn't go down without a fight. For many of them, magic came as something natural, and they were formidable foes. The loss was great, but one they were gone, their oposers thought their losses were well worth it. They moved in to inhabit the near lifelss planet themselves. As far as they knew, the Kidan were gone, extinct, it was as if they had never been. And as far as everywere else was concerned, good ridance. Who cared? So the Kidan were forgotten. As far as anyone knew, they were all gone, so why worry with it anymore?  
  
But, unknown to them, a single, young woman escaped the plunder of his world. He took on the form of a human, and went to live amung them, happy. For one who could be anything, it hardly mattered if their entire race was wiped out. She could join a new one, and they would be none the wiser. And of course, when you live amung someone, you must act like them. She married a slightly powerful wizard, and they had a daughter. For a very short while they lived in piece on the lowly inhabited planet of Dondar. But, being a power hungry wizard, the man atempted to kill a unicorn, as many before him, for it's horn. In revenge the unicorns retaliated. His wife was killed. And so, he took his very young daughter, and retreated to Rawn..... 


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One:  
  
Rawn was an unfriendly world at best. There, humans were despised. For one to live there was unthinkable. Tharn never let that stop him.  
  
After arriving on Rawn Tharn did his best to make a home there. It was dificult without his beloved wife there to help him.  
  
But he made it. They made it. He magically constructed a castle on a snowy mountain top far, far away from the human hating creatures of the world that was now his home.  
  
There he and his familiar, a large black cat named Pat, did their best to rais his daughter.  
  
It wasn't easy.  
  
At the moment the child was driving him bonkers.  
  
She'd grown into a lovely young child, full of spirit and imagination.  
and spirit......  
  
All Tharn wanted to do was study, quietly. And it seemed the child was determined to drive him mad. Made him wonder why on earth he bothered.  
  
He was sitting at his desk, a book he wasn't reading open before him.  
She was sitting in a chair across from him, jabbering something about centaurs and why they didn't like human's so much. Why couldn't she go outside, why wouldn't he talk about mommy, why was he so grouchy all the time......  
  
"SHUT UP!"  
  
"But why Daddy?"  
  
Ohhhh that girl could look so sad when she wanted. Just like her mother,  
with those big green eyes that made you just want to feel sorry for her.  
  
Uh uh. Wasn't happening this time. He had work to do.  
  
"Pat, get this nuisance out of my sight! I've work to do!"  
  
Pat looked up from were he'd been sleeping on the floor in front of his master's fireplace.  
  
"What.... Master....I was...."  
  
"I DON'T CARE! Shannara, take Pat and go play somewere. I want him to keep you buisy all day. If he doesn't, I shall personaly see to it. Now go."  
as an after thought he added, "Please."  
  
Pat looked at his master, shocked and afraid. This wasn't fair!  
  
But before he could do anything about it the girl had scooped him up in her arms and was running off with him.  
  
Tharn heard him as they turned in the hallway, "Master! Wait! Please, I'll be good I promise!"  
  
Tharn just laughed and returned to his book. 


	3. Chapter Two

A/N: I lost the first chapter.... blush I'll get it up soon. Till then it's being skipped. I figure

anybody reading this will be the ones who already did anyway.

Chapter two:  
  
Pat grumbled and hissed and glared, and every other manerism of things he could think of to show his displeasure without actually hurting her. Shanara just held him tighter, trying not to laugh at his antics. That would only make the big cat's mood worse, and she didn't want that.

She hummed softly to herself, walking happily throught the vast hall ways, heading for the library. Not that she had ever bothered with reading the books it contained, but it was the ideal place for playing, and staying away from her father. Pat pawed at her face gently and said, "Were are we going?" thinking he had sounded a bit eager he added for good measure, "Not that I really care, but you have no clue how to hold a cat. Your hurting me. The sooner we get there the better."

Shanara, takeing this seriously, shifted him slightly, then said, "We're going to the library. It's fun." "I thought you didn't read..." Pat said, giveing her a patronizing look. "Oh, I don't."

"Then why would it be any fun?"

she simply shrugged, the result being that she nearly dropped him.

"Watch it!" he hissed and climbed up to perch on her shoulder.

After a few moments of grumpy silence he said, "You're one strange kid you know that?" she didn't answer, so he fell silent, trying to think of the best way to escape this predicament.

Shure, he loved the girl all right, but not enough to want to spend the rest of the day with her, more than likely trying to see how many ways she could hurt the books.... he shuddered slightly.

Unfortunately for him, they arrived at their destination before he could come up with a good escape plan.

Shanara enterd the great library slowly, looking around for a candle or something, for the room was a little more than dark. Seeing none, she walked carefuly over to the large stone fireplace (there was one in about every room of the castle) and set Pat down in front of it. "

Erm, can you light it?" Pat scoffed at her and said, "No. What do I look like, a match? And even if I could, I wouldn't, so there." he settled down, obliviouse to the dark and the cold, and licked his forpaw, slightly irritated.

"Sorry. I just thought, well, father can light fires,and you being magical and all that..." she sat down beisde him, trying to think of what to do. She had no intentions of going back to ask her father for help. He probably wouldn't anyway.

Pat glared at her and said, "Yes, I am magical, but more in the terms of being a magical, generater, lets call it. I don't cast the spells, I simply give energy to help in their casting. Besides, you've got magic too, why don't you light it, eh?"

Shanara returned his glare and said, "I would, but I don't know how. You could teach me...." T

he cat looked disgusted at that. "Teach you?! Ha! Like you'd learn it even if I tried, miss I don't even read! I bet you don't know how to do that either. Once you figure that out, then mayby I'll teach you magic, but not before."

Shanara bit her lip, a little hurt at his harsh words. Seeing this, Pat sighed. "Alright, I'm sorry." he stood up and rubbed against her hand, purring. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." but she just glared at him even more, so he gave up.

"I do know a little magic. Watch!" she closed her eyes, concentrateing, trying to remember how she had done it the first time. But then, the first time had been a bit of an accident really....

Pat watched her with sympathy, thinking as her father did that she had very small talent for magic. And then quite suddenly, the fire place was filled with flames! He jumped a good 5 feet in the air, hissing and spitting, completely shocked. It was then that he realised it wasn't a real fire. It made no sound, gave no warmth..... it was an illusion, nothing more. A really good illusion...

Shanara opened her eyes, and the fake fire disappeared. "See, I told you I could!"

Pat just stared at her, slightly shocked. A child her age, while yes, she should have shown some talent for magic by now, should not have been able to control it so well.

He was especially shocked that it had been so realistic. Just wait till the master found out...!

He was quite suddenly dragged from his thoughts by Shanara prodding him in the shoulder.

"I asked you what you thought..."

Pat, still in awe of what she'd done said simply, "Amazing!" then comeing to grips he continued

"How did you do that? How long have you been able to do that? Why didn't you tell us? We were starting to think you didn't have magic.... amazing!"

Shanara stared at him, not shure which question to answer first. "Well, not long actually. And I didn't think it was that big a deal.... I'm shure father can do way better than that, I didn't think he would care..."

Pat was exasperated. "Of course he'd care!" he practicaly shouted. "I mean, honestly, he's been hopeing for ages that... well, you know, he didn't think you could do anything like that! And sure, he can create illusions, but I honestly think that was better than anything I've seen him do...." Pat was purring with actual happiness now. "Come on, we've got to go show him!" the large black cat was on his feet and darting out the door before he'd even finished his sentence.

Shanara had to run to keep up with him.

"So kid, when was the first time you did that eh?" he said, a little breathlessly for all his running.

"Well, I know I'm not supposed to leave the castle, but well, it seemed so nice, and he had told me to go away..."

Pat groaned, thinking that mayby his master wasn't going to be so happy after all..... she could very well have been killed out there, the creatures that inhabited the forest and mountains cared little for humans.

Shanara ignored his groan and continued, "I ran into some centaurs.... real centaurs Pat! They were amazing! But, well, they didn't see me but they heard me, and they looked kinda unhappy, and I thought I really need someway to hide, and oh Pat, it was amazing! I'd never known I could do anything like that! They walked right past me, didn't even see me!"

By this time they were once again right outside Tharn's study and Pat practicaly hurled himself at the door.

Lucky for him, it oppened pretty easy.

Shanara fallowed him in, timidly.

Tharn looked up from his book angrily. "I thought I told you to go play! Go on, out!"

Pat leaped up onto his desk and said, "Please Tharn, I know you're buisy but I. well, we, have something to show you." he tunned to glare at Shanara who nodded eagerly.

"Oh, you'll be pleased, I promise!"

Tharn closed the book, realising he wasn't going to get anything done untill he hear them out.

Besides, it must be something worth seeing.... it took alot to get Pat excited.

He smiled at his familiar affectionately and said, "All right then, show me."


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter three:  
  
As it turned out, Tharn was more than pleased with his daughters new found ability. Though when he learned the circumstances under which it was found, Shanara was severely punished. However after he was satisfied she had made up for her crimes, he decided to school her in the art of magic. This changed her life drastically, and, so she thought, not at all for the better. Where before he barely had a moment to spare for his daughter, very little attention, always wanted her out of his way so he could complete his studies, he was now making her apart of his studies. Over the next few days he began to force upon her one of the things she disliked most- reading.  
  
She knew how, quite well in fact, but it had always bored her, mostly because her father found it so enjoyable. And now she found herself learning how to read everything from magical code to and earth language called Latin, to some strange goblinish language, and everything else he could think of. After he felt she had mastered the art of reading, spells in particular, he began to teach her actual magic, no easy feat.  
  
They soon found out that she was very adept with illusions, and with a great deal of concentration, could completely blend in with her surroundings. Tharn worked hard to perfect this skill, while trying to teach her new ones as well. One memorable lesson of her attempting to light a magical fire, ended with Pat's fur smoking and Tharn's eyebrows nearly scorched off. After that they took it much slower, spending more time on what she could do. It was quite a while before they attempted fire again.  
  
On the whole, Shanara found herself spending much more time with her father than she ever had before. But she wasn't sure how good this was. She found herself thinking that it was incredibly ironic, when he ignored her she wanted nothing more than his affection and attention, and when she had his affection and attention she wanted nothing more than for him to ignore her. Tharn did this not only to teach her magic, but to insure she didn't sneak out of the castle again as well. As it turned out, this had been one of the girls favorite pass times. Just about every time he had told her to 'get out' she had taken him literally and went exploring. He was amazed, yet grateful, that she had never run into anything that had attempted to kill her.  
  
And so the days went on, becoming weeks and then months, Shanara trapped as the unhappy student, and Tharn the over enthusiastic teacher, and Pat thoroughly upset with the whole arrangement. Now that his master was so interested in the learning an welfare of his daughter, he spent less time with Pat, which meant the lazy cat had less comfort and attention than he would have liked, but he didn't complain. He was, though he'd never admit it, glad that father and child were spending time together, getting to know each other better. He had always thought the girl had been under parented, what with not having a mother and her father ignoring her very existence. Now he was happy to see that she was getting the proper attention she needed.  
  
Shanara, however, viewed the matter differently. She didn't like constantly being cooped up in her father's study. She was only nine years old, but she was completely convinced that she knew everything she needed to know about life, and magic, and besides, she was missing the wonderful forest in all it's inhabitants for a bunch of moldy old books. So, naturally, the first chance she saw to sneak out again she eagerly took. Tharn and Pat had decided to go to some other planet to visit some old friend of theirs, Aranak. She had quickly told them she didn't want to go. Tharn thought it had been a little to quickly. In the end she managed to convince them she'd behave, said there was some interesting book she'd found in the library she wanted to look more closely at. Tharn, delighted she had finally taken and interest, hadn't pressed the subject further and had agreed she could stay behind, though he had seriously debated whether or not he should leave Pat with her. The cat rebuked and refused to stay, so Shanara had gotten her way.  
  
She waited a few minutes after they had disappeared through the portal, but not more than a minute or so. She was eager to go out again after remaining in the castle so long, and that need over rode her fear that her father might return early. The way down the mountain was difficult, dangerous, and highly fun, though there was an easier path to take than the route around. Not wanting to push it on time, she took the shorter one. She reckoned that she'd have four hours at most and didn't want to waist half of that just getting to were she was going. The forest. Home of the centaurs.  
  
Shanara had always been fascinated with these creatures. So beautiful, powerful. Indeed, most of the times when she had dared to leave the castle that was were she'd gone. She was nearly as adept at hiding as she was at illusions, and the to skills put together would no doubt allow her to watch them more closely, if she saw any at all. Sometimes she didn't, and she'd always been disappointed. She only wished they didn't despise humans so much. It would have been truly wonderful to become the friend of a centaur, or so she thought. Alas, the young are made of dreams.  
  
This time she was lucky. Or rather, unlucky, depending on how you saw it. As it happened, she didn't find the centaur, it found her. She was walking down a path, whistling a tune, a habit that greatly annoyed her father, when quite suddenly a solid black something lunged out of the brush at her. She caught a glimpse of hooves and fierce eyes before it bowled her over, and then she found herself on the ground, a centaur foal, she thought that was what they were called, standing over her, the tip of a toy, and yet sharp, spear against her neck. If she hadn't been so startled she might have found the situation rather funny. As it was, she just gaped at him in shock. If he had been human, she reckoned he would have been about her age, and she though he was incredibly beautiful.  
  
His horse body completely black, as was his human half, with his hair becoming a flowing mane down his back how very different they were from the earth legend! She had read about it somewhere or other, and they pictured centaurs as being more human like. She tried to smile at him politely, but found that rather difficult. "Erm, hello." she said timidly. His eyes flared and, to her discomfort, he jabbed her harder with his fake spear. "Who are you and what are you doing here? Humans aren't allowed." Had he been capable, she was sure he would have snarled and growled at her like a lion. "My names Shanara. And as for what I'm doing here, I don't see anything anywhere that says I can't be here, so just leave me alone!" she shoved the toy spear point away and got angrily to her feet. The young centaur was apparently very taken aback by this, and it was his turn to gape at her in shock.  
  
"Well. I think you owe me an apology for knocking me over like that! And you could tell me your name, seeing as I told you mine." she said, glaring at him in a manner that had often sent Pat to shivering. It was perhaps unfortunate that she did not yet know the power one could have over someone who had told them their true name. Lucky for her, the centaur didn't know this any more than she did. "Um, ok I'm sorry. But my father told me humans are bad. You are a human aren't you? I've never seen one before. I didn't think there were any here! Oh yeah, I'm Dethrin." he extended his hand politely, for if he recalled that was the humans greeted each other. She just stared at him, nonplused, so, disappointedly, he lowered it again.  
  
Shanara finally remembered he had asked her a question and said, "Yes, I am a human, but we aren't bad. Or at least I aint. Erm, am not." she blushed slightly at her foul grammar, Tharn was constantly telling her not to say 'aint'. Dethrin didn't to appear to have noticed. "Maybe he was wrong. You don't seem so bad to me." he smiled broadly. "Kinda nice actually. But different too. But, I suppose just because somethin's different doesn't make it bad. Want to play? My sis and some of our other friends are over there" he pointed off into the trees. He had apparently gotten over the fact that she was a human quite well, and now childish instincts were once again taking over. Human or no, she was a new and interesting playmate. And she didn't seem as dangerous as he thought humans were supposed to be.  
  
Shanara seriously considered his offer. How fun it would be! But she sadly shook her head. She should be getting back to the castle. Her father would return soon. "I'm sorry but I can't today. Maybe some other time?" Dethrin nodded eagerly. "How about tomorrow?" he asked. Shanara shrugged. "If I can, I will, but don't get your hopes up. Well, I've gotta go. See you."  
  
Dethrin sighed, unhappy. "Bye then." he stood watching her walk away for a moment, then turned and ran off to rejoin his sister and friend's game, and eventually managed to put the meeting out of his mind, until later on that day when he told his sister about his new friend.  
  
Upon arriving back at the castle Shanara was happy to see Tharn and Pat hadn't gotten back yet, but her joy was short lived, they returned only minutes after she did. She spent the next few days gloomily reading and learning what her father attempted to teach her, but her heart wasn't in it. Her thoughts were entirely on Dethrin, waiting and hoping for the next chance she would have to see him again.  
  
Authors note: I hope this is easier than the first chapters to read. Hope you all enjoyed the first meeting of Shanara and Dethrin. I'm going to make a huge twist with the pare of them... MUWAHAHA. LOL Enjoy. 


	5. Chapter Four

#Chapter Four:  
  
Shanara spent the next few weeks, and soon months, in complete happiness. It wasn't long before she and Dethrin derived when was good times for her to come play, and it was becoming rather easy for her to get out of the castle, because shortly after his return from Treen, Tharn had been very withdrawn, and apparently upset about something, though she couldn't even begin to fathom what.  
  
So, while he still continued her with her studies, which she was excelling in, he didn't spend quite so much time on them, and trusted that she would continue what she did not on her own. So, at first, her only real obstacle had been Pat. The cat was far more attentive than his master, and he suspected she was up to something, though he wasn't entirely sure what. For the longest time he kept a sharp eye on her, but, eventually, seeing that she was apparently no more mischievous than normal, he gave up on it. He too had something weighing on his mind, and Shanara was soon very curious as to what was troubling them so much, but that was soon forgotten.  
  
She was delighted to find that Dethrin had a sister, only a little younger than he was, named Amaris. It wasn't long before the three became great friends, exploring as much as they could, with many close calls, and yet managing to laugh heartily at these later. She was amazed at how easily her new found friends got over the general predjudice that all centaurs had for humans. She supposed it was because they were so young, and that their parents ways were not yet fully impressed upon them. For this, she was glad.  
  
After much debate and long hours of thinking, they decided to keep their friendship a secret. The other centaurs would have been angered if they knew of it, and Amaris wisely voiced the opinion that even her and her brothers friends wouldn't take to it well, and they might tell some one. And Shanara had no doubt that her father would scold her most dreadfully if he knew, and not just because she was going were he had told her not to. She got the feeling that he didn't like non-human creatures almost as much as they didn't like humans.  
  
Meanwhile, aside from her new friends and their games, she was becoming even more adept at her art of illusion. Her father was very pleased with her. She excelled in almost all that he taught her, though she still had a little trouble with fire. But, he this just seemed to make him even happier. She once found the courage to ask him why, and was astounded. and yet very proud, when he said it was because she was far more advanced than any other person her age, and for that matter, twice her age, and that he was sure she would fine tune other magical skills with time. She had been so pleased with his answer that she had actually hugged him, something she didn't do very often. Tharn, while shocked, found himself oddly pleased.  
  
Shanara began to find that she was starting to enjoy reading, though she never admitted it to her father, and especially not Pat, who constantly found excuses to follow her in the library and tease her about how she had never liked it before, and that maybe they were finally managing to pound some since into her thick skull.  
  
One day she came across something that truly interested her, something she had never known was possible. Shape shifting. The book she found it in only mentioned it as being one of some jewel or other's magically enhanced properties, but she was sure whatever the jewel could do, could be done, perhaps with a bit more difficulty, with just a persons own magic ability. And she managed to convince her self that it had to be similar to making illusions, so there was no way it could be hard..... how very wrong she was.  
  
She quickly introduced this idea to Tharn, who was very intrigued by his daughter's new interest. He had never been one for shape shifting himself, had never really been able to do it properly. But, as it seemed Shanara was skilled at every thing he wasn't and unskilled in what he was skilled in, he thought that just maybe she'd be able to do it. Only time and hard work would tell. And Shanara seemed more than eager to work for it. She had many, many reasons for wanting to learn this, one simply because it fascinated her, and others had to do mainly with Dethrin and Amaris. If she could somehow turn into, say a centaur, oh how much easier it would be to play with them! Once again, the young are made of dreams. This young one rather strongly.  
  
And so, Tharn began the painstaking process of teaching her how to change. Pat scoffed at the whole idea, he thought his master was completely wasting his time, How could a child so young learn and art so advanced? But, out of respect and affection, he never voiced this opinion out loud, and did all he could possibly do to help, though it wasn't much.  
  
With something new to occupy his mind, whatever dark thoughts had been inhabiting it seemed to disappear, or at least go away for a little while, for soon the gloomy air he had had for weeks now was gone, and seemed very happy. Shanara noticed this, though at the time she didn't much think about it. Her father was prone to wild mood swings, she never knew what triggered them, and really didn't care, it never seemed to have anything to do with her, so why worry? And how could this, whatever it was, be any different? She put it out of her mind, just happy that he was so eager to teach her.  
  
When she had first attempted to change, even though Tharn had told her she was far, far, from being ready, she had been rather disappointed when absolutely nothing had happened. Pat had scowled, saying he told her so, and Tharn had laughed, not that either his familiar or daughter could see what was so funny about it. Pat was quickly becoming worried for Tharn, not because he could actually see that there was anything wrong with him, but because he was so, well, happy. It was very odd, very odd indeed, to see him in such a good mood, he even managed to not scold Shanara when she had spilled ink all over a book he'd been reading, which struck Pat as just down right strange and some how wrong.  
  
Shanara, however, wasn't the least bit worried. What ever unseen thing had changed, him it certainly wasn't doing any harm. Yet. And she didn't like to think to far into the future. When she actually did stop to think about his peculiar behavior, she just shrugged it off. For once in her life, she felt truly loved, not ignored, not over crowded, just loved. And even if it was the result of something bad, she didn't want it to go away, not now, not when she finally felt like her father was, well a father. Not just a father, a dad. how could anything like that be bad?  
  
Authors Note: A bit short mayby, but be happy with it. There about to get a good deal longer. 


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five:  
  
The forest was almost completely silent, all of it's inhabitants lulled and sleepy in the warm, fresh summer air. Hardly a thing was stirring, except for the occasional small creature who dared sneak out of his hole, or something who had stopped for a drink at the spring, always careful avoiding the cursed lake that fed it. Dethrin plodded down the path, enjoying it's peaceful silence, which was sometimes broken by a bird singing, or something he couldn't see moving in the brush.  
  
How he loved this place, his home! He had only just managed to convince Amaris to go play somewhere else, that he wanted to go for a walk alone, to enjoy the sweet solitude he so rarely had, what with his sister and their many friends, and she had been rather disappointed, but had grudgingly obliged to his wishes. And so he was alone, if you didn't count the numerous forest creatures, and glad for it. Much to the scorn of the other young males, he was a thinker and a dreamer, and enjoyed every chance he had to be alone with just his thoughts, to contemplate over the many mysteries of the world.  
  
And besides, he needed dreadfully to stretch his legs, do a little running. That winter some of the icy castle mountains wind and snow had come their way, a rare occurrence indeed, and because of it had been a rather long while since he'd been able to exercise properly, or at least not without getting frost bite. He was also secretly hoping he might run into Shanara, another thing the winter had deprived them of. It had been roughly four years, possibly more for all he knew, he wasn't a good keeper of time, since he and her and his sister had all become friends, and time had made their bond stronger. If only they weren't different species, if only they were free to be friends without the worry of what their elders would do if they found out. Dethrin sighed slightly at the thought, for he knew good in well what would happen if he was discovered in the company of a human. They would kill her first, ask questions later. That was the way his people were, they hated humans, same as every other creature on Rawn.  
  
He didn't understand why his was, as none could fully understand anything until they experienced it themselves. As far as he could see, and he thought he was an expert on the matter, he had after all been the best friend of a human for years now, that there was absolutely nothing wrong with humans. He valued Shanara's friendships even more than that of his own kind. Never, ever, had she acted the way his people said humans did.  
  
Lost deep in his thoughts, Dethrin, who normally could never be sneaked up on, was completely unaware that he was being followed, and not exactly stealthily either. It was only when he heard a badly stifled giggle that he turned around to look, truly alarmed, and then it was fart to late for him to do anything about it, for right as he turned a rather small, brownish-red wolf shot out of the trees at him, nearly knocking him over. He stumbled for a moment, startled and trying to think of some way to defend himself, and toppled right over, a very grievous thing for one who has a horse body. For a moment he was frightened, thinking himself in danger, when quite suddenly the snarling wolf turned it to a girl, doubled over with laughter and for a moment unable to speak for she was laughing so hard. "You....I...thought you said you couldn't be sneaked up on, Mr. High and Mighty. And here I've got you on the ground.... Ha! Serves you right!"  
  
Dethrin just stared at her a moment, then joined in her mirth. When he thought about it, the situation he was in was quite funny.... "Well, Shanara, I thank you for teaching me how very vulnerable I really am." he said jokingly once he could breath again. "And I must say you're getting rather good at the whole shape changing thing."  
  
Shanara finally managed to stop laughing and found herself quite pleased with her friends praise. It had taken her the best part of two years to work it all out, and another two to become anything that wasn't humanoid, and even that was still rather difficult, but, she had found that she could turn into a few things, a crow and her favorite wolf among them, with relative ease, and spent as much time as she could possibly manage practicing. "Gee, you really think so?"  
  
Dethrin nodded, and then climbed to his feet. "Yeah, I do. It bit more practice and I bet you'll be the best there is!" he smiled at her warmly, then turned his attention to his forelegs, who's knees had been skinned in his fall. he winced slightly. "But don't do that again, okay?"  
  
Shanara got the feeling he was only saying that to be nice, but she flushed with pleasure at the praise all the same. At his later statement she grinned broadly. "No more bragging and I promise I won't. But by boasting so much you you were just challenging me to try that you know." she winked at him playfully, and he found himself grinning as well.  
  
"Agreed. No more bragging. But I can hear really well you know..." she scoffed at him and said sarcastically, "Oh yeah, I could tell. Best ears in the world you've got. I imagine next time they'll save you eh?" she smirked at him before standing herself, and the two began walking down the path again, Dethrin blushing slightly at her comment, but fortunately for him it didn't show up on his dark skin.  
  
"So," Shanara said, swinging her arms in a childish manner that often annoyed him, "Where's Amaris? I'd rather be talking to her than you ya know. She's more fun." now of course this was far from true, but she loved to tease him. Dethrin, just scowled at her and said, "Well, next time jump on her then." then remembering her question, "She didn't come with me. I was hoping to have a nice, peaceful walk, alone, if you take the hint." she apparently didn't, or chose to ignore his last words.  
  
"Eh, don't be such a spoil sport. I was just having a bit of fun. I told you I wouldn't do it again." she wasn't sure how truthful this was, seeing as she enjoyed shocking him like that, but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. "If you're so interested in being alone, I'll go then. I need to get home anyway, dad will be missing me."  
  
Dethrin couldn't help but notice how she said 'dad' instead of 'father' as she used to. He had noticed subtle changes, like this, in how she viewed her father slowly developed, though he couldn't be sure what had brought about this change. he was just glad his friend was happy. "Oh, all right then. Bye." he sighed and continued, "And don't you dare come back!"  
  
Shanara just gave him her most charming smile, and then, before his eyes could quite register what had happened, she'd changed into a rather large crow and flown off. He stood for a moment, gazing off in the direction she'd flown off to, suddenly wishing she hadn't gone. He some how felt empty when she wasn't around.... he sighed deeply and took off at a galloped, decidding he wanted the company of his sister after all.  
  
**********************************************  
  
Shanara was a little depressed at once more being trapped inside the castle, surrounded as always by freezing snow, but it couldn't be helped. The years, few as they had been, had had a great effect on her father, and she had quite suddenly come to realize just how old he was. He hadn't changed in appearance all that much, a few gray hairs here and there, the lines on his face deepened, but it was more his manner and great weariness that had clued her in. That and the sudden sickness. For, try as he might to hide it, he was ill, and dreadfully so. He was occasionally torn by wild coughing fits, and the cold was effecting it much more than it ever had before.  
  
And though she was loath to admit it, Shanara was beginning to realize that Tharn, her beloved father wasn't going to be around forever. He had thus far used his magic to sustain his youth, but he was very old, older than Shanara could guess at, and whatever foul sickness it was that plagued him was fast removing his strength. And though he would never admit it, he needed her to take care of him.  
  
The cat familiar Pat, had noticed this as well, long before Shanara had. He didn't know how much longer Tharn could hold out, how much longer he wanted to hold out, though he could tell he was trying his darndest to stave off death until Shanara was grown. But in truth, Pat knew for sure, Tharn was ready to die. He had lived long years, filled with pain and sorrow and bitter happiness, and he couldn't take it any more. He just wanted to rest. And Pat was forced to half heartedly agree, much as he tried to deny it.  
  
The cat sighed and turned away from the window were he'd been watching Shanara approach, looking at his master through wise, intelligent eyes. As is feeling his companions gaze upon him, Tharn looked up from his desk and smiled at Pat warmly, but he could not hide the infinite sadness in his eyes. Pat decided against telling him just now that his daughter had left the castle. Indeed, Pat had known for some time now, but he imagined she was safe enough, and he didn't want to trouble Tharn any more than necessary.  
  
"Ah my friend, I think I favor a nap just now." Tharn got to his feet, and stretched, yawning loudly, rather a lot like his cat familiar. Pat to felt very weary just now, and agreed solemnly. He leaped into Tharn's arms, purring contentedly, but at that moment Tharn happened to cast a glance out the window, were Shanara was still just a few feet from the large front doors. If it weren't for the fact it was completely pointless to go out there, the only thing you'd do is manage to get frost bite, he might have thought she'd just been in the court yard. But he somehow knew better. He dropped Pat, who hissed loudly, and then was off like a shot, determined to intercept her before she'd gotten far. 


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six:  
  
"SHANARA!" Tharn was blazing mad. Shanara winced slightly when he yelled. He had headed her off, and now they were in his Study, and Tharn had taken it upon himself to give her a long lecture. "WHY? I CAN'T EVEN BEGEN TO EXPRESS  
  
HOW UPSET WITH YOU I AM!! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA....?!" he stopped, to angry to continue. Pat, who was perched on his shoulder said, "Please, calm down, it's really not so bad.... it's not like she was hurt or anything..." Tharn glared at him, and he quit talking, shrinking away from his master's angry gaze.  
  
Shanara gave the cat a pleading glance, but he shook his head and leaped daintily down from his perch, shivering slightly. Shanara sighed, her only defence gone, probably to cower in some corner.  
  
Tharn seemed to calm himself slightly, but he was still rather red in the face, and it was a few minutes before he continued. "Do you have any idea what could have happened to you out there? Absolutely all the creatures on Rawn hate humans! And like it or not, you're human! They'd kill you without a thought! Do you know what lives out there?" Shanara started to answer that she knew better than he did what lived out there, but he cut her off. "No, you proabaly don't do you? There are things out there, trolls and goblins and all other types of monsters! And I told you, did I not, to NOT LEAVE HERE! It's dangerouse! You could have been hurt.... you could have... and I wouldn't have known....." his voice softened slightly. "You know it's only because I care."  
  
He sighed tiredly. "Why on earth would you want to go out there anway? And be truthful with me child." Shanara just sat for a moment, feeling guilty for betraying her fathers trust. "I.... oh father it's so.... I don't like being stuck here in the castle every day! It's boring! And Pat's right you know," she cat the cat a glare. "I didn't get hurt. I'm perfectly capable of takeing care of myself. And the only thing I've ever seen that's even slightly dangerouse was a snake, and that's hardly a problem." she bit her lip slightly at the lie, but she couldn't tell him about Dethrin and Amaris. "Why's it such a big deal?"  
  
Tharn studied his daughter for a moment, and she got the odd feeling he was judging her. Finally he just shook his head and tunrned away to stare out the window upon the icy mountainscape that was his home. "I just worry about you, thats all. I have very little trust for such.... creatures as the ones who inhabit this place. It was in dealing with such things that I got your mother killed. I don't want the same fate to befall you."  
  
Shanara was listening attentively, hopeing he would say something more. In all her thirteen years he had never mentioned her mother more than once or twice, and this bit of information, how ever small, fascinated her. She wanted to know more. She was disapointed.  
  
Tharn lifted his hand in dismissal and said. "Go. I won't punish you this time. But don't let it happen again." she got to her feet and left quickly, not believing her good luck. She had expected nothing less than being locked in her room for a good few months.... or to have to clean the library.... not an enjoyable task.  
  
As she left, Pat walked slowly out of his corner and leaped up to the desk- top and then his accustomed place on Tharn's shoulder. He affectionatly licked his masters face and said, "How about that nap eh? I was looking forward to it.... honestly, keeping me up all night to read books..." he scoffed indignantly and looked straight into Tharn's eyes as if to say, How could anyone dare to do such a thing to me?! and Tharn laughed heartily. "Allright old friend. If you wish. And don't worry, never again. We're getting to old for this...." he sighed and Pat ruffed up his fur. "Old? Me? Ha! hardly." but he couldn't help but silently agree. Tharn was right of course, as always.  
  
*****************************~~~~~**************************************  
  
For the next long while, Shanara tried her hardest to behave and not do anything to agitate her father, though for her, this was extremely hard. She even meekly refrained from going to visit Dethrin and Amaris, though she would have greatly like to. Instead she kept as quiet as was possible and spent most of her time in the library reading, and on occasion just sitting and thinking. She had a lot to think about. What ever Tharn's ailment was, it seemed to her that it was getting worse, and it wasn't long till she confined him to his bed.  
  
"Honestly child, there's nothing wrong with me. Just a bit tired, thats all." he'd protested, but she'd remained firm and wouldn't let him up, and he was secretly greatful, though he made a poit to put up a major fuss. Pat too was greatful. The always lazy cat was more than happy to except an excuse to spend all day sleeping, for without Tharn he could hardly do any work. What with this and her determinedness to not wrong her father again, she almost forgot about Dethrin and Amaris, and the two centaurs had began to worry about her, thinking that perhaps something had happened to her, but Shanara was obliviouse.  
  
The pair stood, staring up at the great mountain in wonder. Amaris would have eagerly just charged in and demand she be alowed to see her friend, but Dethrin had stomped on that idea, literaly. "For all we know there isn't a thing wrong and she's just buisy. That's it. She's buisy." but all the same they couldn't help but wonder.  
  
" I hope your wright Deth." Amaris said, turning away. Dethrin snorted. "Oh, what could possibly happen to her up there? Unless the goblins had a sudden streak of intelligence and bravery, I fail to see anything that could be wrong." Amaris gave him a how could you be so thick look and said, "Remember, she said her father was ill. What if he's died and she needs us?" she glared at her brother sharply, but he just shrugged. "I highly doubt it. He's a wizard, he can manage. I tell you, they're just caught up in whaterver work it is that they do." he turned and galloped off, and with one last look and a sigh, Amaris followed him. 


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven:  
  
Shanara sat in the library, her face close to the book she was reading, the better to see in the quickly dieing fire light. Most unfortunately, the book was completely encrypted and rather difficult to figure out. The writer had intended for it to be that way.  
  
She sighed in frustration. "Why on earth do they bother with this!" She said exasperatedly. "Pointless, they might as well make it so you can read it!" she continued grumbling to herself for a few minutes, and the words remained unintelligible. She wished with all her heart that she could read it.  
  
Finally, she gave up and snapped it closed irritably. Shanara returned the book to it's place on the vast shelves and then turned to coax the fire into greater life. After she was satisfied with it she immediately returned to her search. She was attempting to find a healing spell, despite Tharn's half hearted protests that there was nothing wrong, and Pat's regretful admittance that she probably wouldn't find anything to help him.  
  
As the man and his familiar were slowly realizing, they had seen this illness before, on their home world. There was absolutely no cure. Tharn could only hope and pray that they were mistaken, but only time would tell. And meanwhile, they had to console Shanara. They were very careful to be sure she didn't discover their belief. So, there she was, looking for some spell that might cure him. Pat had just shaken his head, and given her a look of uttermost sympathy. The poor kid.  
  
Shanara brushed a stray brownish-red curl behind her ear and pulled down a promising volume. It was no good. It took her a good hour to figure out what each book said, and then another to read it, only to discover that there was absolutely nothing that would do her any good. Finally, after many long hours of searching, she reluctantly gave up. She could have cried with frustration and bitter anger. How, out of all those books, could there be nothing, absolutely nothing, that would be of any use?  
  
She jumped and looked up as the door opened with a slight creak and Pat padded in softly. "Came to check on you. You've been in here for hours." he saw the look on her face and said softly, "I take it you didn't find anything." Shanara looked away, biting her lip. "No. Not a thing. It's not fair. Will he get over this? it just seems to get worse and worse.... oh Pat, what's wrong with him?"  
  
The cat was overcome with sympathy and sadness for his young companion. "I'm not sure Shan. I have a few theories, but there isn't really any way to be sure. I just pray it's nothing more than a bad virus and he'll get over it." she didn't seem to like his answer.  
  
He sighed and leaped up onto the table, and then into her arms, purring. He found that humans loved it when cats purred, and he hope it would make her feel better. It didn't work. She just sighed, stroking his soft black fur. "What...what do you think it is? Don't lie to me. I see the two of you talking... he's going to dies, isn't he?"  
  
Pat stared at her intently. "No. He'll be fine. You'll see." he purposely ignored her first question. "You should go to bed. It's getting late." with that he wriggled free of her arms and left, his tail dropping sadly.  
  
******************************************************* As the weeks went on, Tharn only got worse. It seemed to Shanara that he was simply wasting away into nothing. He finally gave up trying to convince her he would be okay, because now it was quite apparent that he wouldn't be. and it seemed that he and Pat had been right in their assumptions.  
  
Were he came from, occasionally, either the very old or the very frail were inflicted with what they had dubbed 'the wasting disease' and rightly so, seeing what it did to people. But they were very rare cases indeed, which was perhaps why no one had ever come up with a cure. But when one did catch it, they were sure to die a slow, painful death. There were also theories that it was genetic.  
  
Seeing as his father had died of the same thing, he thought glumly, it was probably true. He just hoped that it wasn't so genetic that Shanara would be ailed by it too. He trusted her mothers side would out in that, however.  
  
"Well old friend, I expect it won't be long now." he said to Pat who lay purring by his head. The cat glared at him indignantly. "No! Don't say that. You'll be fine, just wait, I'm sure you will!" but no amount of wishing and hoping and praying could change the course of fate. If Pat had been human, or if cats could shed tears, he would have sobbed bitterly. "Just wait, we'll get you through this." Tharn weakly patted his life's companion on his head and said, "I wish you were right. Oh I wish you were right." he sighed deeply, and was surprised to find that such and action hurt him.  
  
"I want you to promise me something...." Pat who was now perched on his chest, the better to look him in the eye, nodded. "Anything." Tharn smiled. "Always...so... eager. Good. If I..... if I die, as I undoubtedly will, promise me you'll look after Shanara for me. Don't let grief overcome you friend, for she will need you more than ever." Pat meowed pitifully. "I promise. I'll take good care of her. I promise!" satisfied, Tharn lay back and closed his eyes... how good it felt to sleep...... ************************************************** Shanara was once again seated in the library, but this time she wasn't reading, she was thinking. And very frustrated thoughts they were. Despite the fact that both her father and Pat refused to tell her what was wrong, afraid that she would worry to much, she had noticed that his condition was getting worse seemingly by the hour, and she looked on him about every ten minutes until finally he had shouted at her that what he needed was rest and he couldn't get that with her constantly waking him.  
  
So she changed it to peeking to see how he was every thirty minutes, and every hour seeing if he needed anything. He refrained from telling her that this was much worse then what she'd done before, because he could see she was just worried about him.  
  
She had at first attempted to remain with him all day long, but found she needed something to do, something to keep her mind off the despair that filled her every time she allowed herself to consider what it was that could be so effectively taking him away from her. Seeing him made that despair worse.  
  
Everything seemed to make it worse. She just wished he would get better. Sighing, she leaned back in her chair causing it to stand on two legs, a habit her father had tried desperately to break her from. She felt a pang of anguish in her heart as she was once more reminded of her father.  
  
Shanara decided it was once again time to check in on Tharn again, and was about half way to his chambers when a small black something hurled itself at her. "Oh Shanara, I'm glad I found you! Please come... quick..."  
  
Bewildered she petted and soothed the cat until he was calm enough to give her an intelligible answer to what was wrong. "Tharn!" he gasped. "Oh come quick...." she dropped the cat to his distaste and was running down the long corridor as quickly as she could, not even listening to the end of his sentence. She didn't need to. Something was wrong. Something had happened. That was all her panic stricken mind could take in at the moment.  
  
Authors Note: Hope you are all likeing this. And for the curiouse, the 'Wasting disease' is actuall cancer. 


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight:  
  
By the time Shanara got there, it was to late. He'd already been gone by the time that Pat had gotten to her. She stood by him for a moment, filled with  
  
grief, and disbelief. He looked so peaceful.... almost as though he were sleeping. Pat jumped up beside his lifeless master and nudged him helplessly."Please wakeup.... don't leave me...." the cat meowed piteously. "Please...." But of course, it did no good.  
  
Shanara sunk to her knees, head in her hands, silent teas streaming down her face. She didn't understand.... she had thought he would get better.... she hadn't even known what was wrong.....  
  
Pat, seeing his young friends distress, immediately forgot his own anguish and leaped down and began to try to comfort her by purring, and soothing, though it didn't do much good, she seemed completely oblivious to the fact that the cat was even present. 'Poor kid.' he thought. 'Now both her parents are gone. And she'll be thinking it's her fault because she couldn't find anything to help him...' he brushed his soft head against her hand, purring louder than ever, and was very pleased when she picked him up, and like any sensible cat would do, he licked her tears dry and waited patiently for her to say something, anything, to be sure that she was alright. But of course, she wasn't alright. She couldn't be.  
  
Finally, after along while, the heart sore cat sighed and said, "We shouldn't leave him there. He needs to be buried. Properly. Which means we'll have to leave the mountain. But we don't have to now...." he added hastily. "If you're not feeling up to it, we could always wait... and kid, I'm real sorry. I know how bad this hurts you. It hurts me too. But it won't do us any good to sit here and cry and dwell on it. We've still got to live, and we can't do that if we allow ourselves to get lost in our grief. He wouldn't have wanted that." It was quite a speech for the cat, and he was a little shocked at his own since.  
  
Quite suddenly, Shanara got to her feet, dropping Pat, who was to grieved and heart weary to be disgruntled, and then she said, "Your right. Absolutely right. Let's go now. The sooner the better. I can hardly stand it as it is. I need something to do." she forced back the rest of her tears and resolved that she would never allow herself to feel pain like that again. Never. She wouldn't grieve over it. She wouldn't cry. Now that she was over the first shock and her brain was thinking sensible things again she realized how many things were going to change now.  
  
She'd be alone except for Pat. To her knowledge she didn't have any other relatives, no other friends, except perhaps Aranak, but he didn't do her a whole lot of good. For one, she didn't even know him, for another she highly suspected that her father had never really liked him, and even without those doubts she had no clue how to open a portal. No, she was alone now. She'd just have to grow up. And fast. **************************************************************************** *  
  
The trip down the mountain was for the most part uneventful, and both Pat and Shanara were to tired and inattentive to really notice, care, or even wonder why. With Pat's expert help, Shanara had managed to make a kind of floating stretcher, she could hardly carry her fathers dead weight, and they had set off as soon as they were satisfied that it was good enough.  
  
Normally, the pair would have been attacked by goblins, trolls, and any number of other beasts they unknowingly passed by, but at the sight of them, all turned away, unable to raise weapon against such piteously sad people, who's grief seemed catching. Despite their unwillingness to attack, they were very grateful when the pair had passed on.  
  
So they made their way down the mountain and to the large forest at it's base, and then, despite Pat's protests, close to the forest's heart. Shanara wasn't going to allow just any place to serve as her fathers grave. It had to be beautiful, serene, and somewhere she wasn't likely to find again. If it was easily accessible, she had the feeling she would spend her every free moment there, not something she wanted.  
  
Finally she found a spot she thought suitable. It was a clearing, a spring of water running through it, those exotically colored trees she so loved forming a wall on the it's opposite side. Standing back from the waters edge, not quite one with the rest of the forest, was a large tree, it's blue and slightly purple leaves rustling softly in the light breeze. It was then that she wondered, dimly, why they hadn't been attacked on the way here, and weren't being attacked now. She silently thanked whatever god or gods really existed for this lucky twist of fate, though she suspected their return trip would be more lively.  
  
And then, looking around the lovely clearing, and listening to Pat's murmur of awe at her excellent choice of place, that she felt a moment of stupidity. Just how exactly was she going to burry him? No digging materials, no nothing at all that could help. Had she not been extremely determined she would have given up there and then. Instead, she improvised, finding a large fallen branch, judged it suitable, and then moved to a spot not far from the tree, and began to dig, all the while feeling rather foolish, but if she was a fool, at least she was a fool who tried.  
  
Pat, seeing what she was doing, started to protest, but she shot him a glare and he quickly quieted. All in all it was almost dark by the time they got the job done, and even then Shanara refused to leave. After she had the grave carefully recovered she, strongly surprising Pat, pulled a small knife from inside her boot, and began working at carving something on the trunk of the tree, a difficult task in the dieing light. Pat also thought it was very bold, seeing as the creatures who lived here would more than likely be very angry at this violation of there tree, but when she was done, he couldn't help but think that it was rather fitting. She had carved into it:  
  
HERE RESIDES THARN, WIZARD OF ALL  
  
And beneath it a small charicrature of a panther. 'Wizard of All' was a title Tharn had often used for himself, his reasoning being that he had no particular skill, he was good at it all. And the panther was in away his symbol, seeing as he put it on any spell books and things that he created.  
  
Once she was satisfied with her work, Shanara went and washed her face in the spring, feeling almost like crying again, but just almost. She sat there for along while, aware of the growing dark, and Pat's growing impatience, but she didn't care. She was to tired, to weary, to sad, to care about much of anything at the moment.  
  
Then she was dragged from her thoughts by a rather loud commotion behind her. She heard the thudding of many hooves, and Pat gave a loud meow of fright before scurrying over to her, and she promptly stood up and turned to face this new foe, and was shocked at what she found.  
  
She had a brief glimpse of many centaurs, at the front of the group one she believed was called Rothar, though she couldn't be sure having only heard bout him and seen him from a great distance, and then her two, almost forgotten friends were on her in a frenzy. "We saw...Oh Shan... I'm so sorry!" it was very awkward indeed to have to centaurs, a race not at all used or accustomed to touch, trying to hug her at once, and if she hadn't been so shocked by the whole thing she would have been yelling at the two idiots because the other centaurs weren't supposed to know they were friends. They would undoubtedly be punished harshly.  
  
Dethrin and Amaris were both extremely concerned for their friend. They couldn't even begin to imagine the pain she must have been feeling. But, Dethrin was feeling much worse than his sister, for she had been right. Shanara had needed them, had been in trouble, and they might, though his more sensable side greatly doubted it, have been able to help in some way. And he had shrugged that possibility off without much thought, and he thought guiltily, this was the result. They didn't, couldn't have, known that it wouldn't have made much difference either way.  
  
Shanara was very shocked, very shocked indeed, when he pulled her into a very uncentaur-like embrace and all but cried with his anxiety. Shanara, however, was becoming increasingly angered, confused, and unhappy about this over display of affection.  
  
"What are you doing?!" she pushed away from them both, looking at the mass of ten centaur warriors who stood behind them, and then back at her friends sternly. "You...." but she was cut off as a rather powerful, intimidating looking centaur stepped forward and spoke. "We are very aware, human, of this unlikely and improper friendship between you and these two." he cast the siblings a stern glare which would have sent many a brave man to trembling. "And it was of our best interest to kill you and be done with it. However, the more sensible of our number were overruled, seeing as you are only a child, have caused more help than harm, and seeing as we would likely have to kill this lot as well just to get to you. And we aren't completely heartless, even if you are a human." his disgust with the whole thing was obvious.  
  
"But," naturally, there had to be a but, "You are to have no further dealings with our kind, and I highly advise you to go to some more human friendly place, for after this night you are free game to any who would wish to rid our planet of such scum." he paused here then returned his attention back to Dethrin and Amaris. "I cannot even begin to comprehend why we are allowing you to live human, and my advice is that you leave promptly, before I change my mind. Dethrin, Amaris, come! I will not suffer any more embarassment to your foolishness!" with that, he turned and galloped off, and was quickly followed by his fellows, and a rather subdued, upset Amaris.  
  
Dethrin remained behind for a moment, gazing intently at Shanara. "They can't keep us from being friends. If ever you are in need of aid, I am here. Always." he gently took her hand. kissed it in what he thought was a human like manner, and then tuned and galloped off to join his people.  
  
Shanara was very shell shocked at the whole ordeal. Pat, it seemed, was of the same mind. "What was that all about? We arn't really going to leave Rawn are we? I don't want to. This is home." The cat was so sincerely devastated that Shanare promptly lifted him in her arms. Then turning in the direction of the Jagged Mountains, were her home was, and said, "No, of course not. You think they could drive us away? Hardly. Now lets go home."  
  
Authors Note: I know some of you are probably thinking, 'What the heck?" but please people, just go with it. Everything here happened for a reason. 


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine:  
  
The skies of Treen were rather dreary this day, the dark, ominous clouds promising a storm. Not that Barlimu cared. He was leaving soon anyway. Barlimu was a short, rather stout semi powerful wizard, with wild red hair and a temper to match. He was also a bit of a magical creature collector. Which was why he planned on going to Dondar. But to get to Dondar, one must first go through Rawn. Not and experience he was looking forward to.  
  
Beside him, was a cage. A rather small dirty cage, to the disgust of it's inhabitant. The small red panda looked up at his master and said, "When can I get out of here? I'm hungry. Why won't you feed me? Were are we going? Hey, what are you doing? You know, there's a much easier way of...."  
  
"SHUT UP!!" Barlimu, who was attempting to open a portal, was greatly annoyed by this interruption. The stupid beast was always interrupting him.... "You silly, idiotic creature! I have a mind to cut out your tongue! Why, of all the animals I could pick up, did it have to be one who could talk....."  
  
The panda was a little more than upset at this. "I am not idiotic. And I'm not a creature either. I'm a panda. Get your animals straight. And I can talk because I'm special. Unlike you. Now, when's dinner? I'm hungry."  
  
"I've a good mind to eat you for dinner! Now hush!." he began to attempt the tricky spell again, only to be interrupted again. "You are a very sorry excuse for a wizard. My old master could open a portal in a minute! It takes you all day. By the way, that's because you're doing it the hard way. If you'd let me...."  
  
"QUITE! It's only taking me so long because every time I get started you start talking! Darn founded animal, just hush!" at this point, Barlimu was strongly in favor of just walking off and leaving the little creature, but he couldn't bring himself to. Not out of any actual attachment to the animal, but because it had so much magical power... it was like a magic battery. And quite soon he'd be needing it.  
  
"Alright, if you say so. But I could make it easier you know. And, I'm still hungry, just so you know." with that, the panda settled down in his cage, in and promptly fell asleep.  
  
A few minutes later he was roughly awakened as Barlimu hastily lifted the cage and took it with him through the newly opened portal, which closed only seconds after they had gone through, it's job done.  
  
"You could have been a bit nicer. I was having a really good dream..." the panda began, but Barlimu cut him off.  
  
"Quite! There are things here we don't want to meet, don't want to notice us. With you talking continually, we'll be found and killed in moments. Hush!" Surprisingly enough, the panda fell silent. He, of course, had absolutely no clue what the man was talking about, no clue that this place wasn't people friendly, but he didn't like Barlimu's tone. It frightened him.  
  
Barlimu could have sighed in relief. He had had to put up with the panda's whining and complaining for weeks now, and it had strongly grated on his nerves. Many a time he had considered throwing the cage off the closest cliff. And it wouldn't do him any good to have the little chatterbox going on about all his woes now. If he heard another 'I'm hungry' he was going to go crazy.  
  
Satisfied his little companion would stay quite, Barlimu began to make his way through Rawn. He was to tired to make another portal to Dondar at the moment. They needed a good, safe place to sleep. Here, that wouldn't be so easy to find. Most unfortunately for him, he had come out at the base of the Jagged Mountains. He didn't know about the Troll village there. He didn't know he was walking right in to his own doom. So when after a half hour of walking, he was greatly surprised to find the troll's excuse for a settlement before him.  
  
Rawn's two, small moons were just rising now, and it was another bit of bad  
  
luck that they made the man and his creature very noticeable. And trolls didn't exactly go to bed early. They saw him. Felt a moment of puzzled curiosity. And then the thought 'human!' filled them and ten of the slightly numb witted, but incredibly strong creatures were up and running strait towards the highly startled Barlimu. He had a moment, just a moment to stare in amazement, and then he was running.  
  
In his cage, which was grasped firmly in he fleeing man's arms, the panda squeaked loudly in fright. He had never seen anything quite so big as the trolls were. Frightening and large as they were to a human, it was at least ten times as worse for such a small creature as the young panda.  
  
Barlimu was doomed from the start. There was no way he could out run ten. fully grown trolls. And his magical energy was all but exauhsted. As the large brutish creatures caught up with him, he turned and through a weak fireball at them, but it had little effect, except to send one running around in alarm, it's cloths on fire. But this only made matters worse.  
  
Barlimu dropped the cage containing the panda, and it sprang open. The little red creature darted out of it, glad for freedom, but at the same time alarmed, for compared to a scarcely grown panda, troll feet were very dangerous. With out so much a glance for his soon to be dead 'master' he darted off, heading for a large forest that wasn't far away, praying there wasn't something much worse waiting for him.  
  
Lucky for him, he went unnoticed, and it wasn't long before he collapsed beside a small bush, and quickly scurried to sit within it's leafy branches. It would be a good place to sleep. He would think about what he was going to do about all this in the morning. Besides, he couldn't do anything now, he was lost. So very lost.  
  
Authors Note: And so I introduce Blink. I'm going to have a lot of fun with the next few chapters.... 


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten:  
  
A few days later, the panda wasn't in very good shape. He was scared silly by all the sounds around him and was sure he was going to be eaten by something.  
  
Which brought about another problem. Food. He had no idea what would be okay for him to eat or not, and by this time he was wishing that old wizard was still around.  
  
True, he was smelly and mean and a overly confident coward, but atleast with him he'd been fed properly, even if it there were long waits in between.  
  
When he wasn't running around in fright he was huddled beneath a tree,  
thinking his situation over and coming up with nothing he liked.  
  
Finally, on the third day, his savior arrived. At first he was sure he was doomed.  
  
Shannara had taken to wandering the woods in what ever form striked her as interesting. It was oddly comforting to just aimlessly drift around as some animal, with no worries in the world.  
  
On one such venture she decided to try out a wild cat.... she met a curious little red creature...... what followed was immencly interesting to the aspiring young wizard.  
  
As soon as he saw her the little creature darted away.  
  
She chased him. And chased him some more. Finaly she got close enough to get a good look at him. This had to end. His screaming was going to draw unwanted attention.  
  
A pounce and she had the thing pinned down.  
  
"Please! I'm sorry! Don't eat me!"  
  
Were her current form capable, she would have laughed. The poor thing.  
She didn't know what it was, but it was kind of cure in it's own special way  
  
Without another thought she picked it up in strong cat jaws and carried it off.  
  
The panda grumbled and begged and complained and pleaded for the entire trip.  
When they got to the castle, he shut up. For about a minute. Then he was full blown jabbering again.  
  
"What on earth are you doing with me? Were are we going? Who are you?  
What are you? Hey, that hurts! If you're going to eat me will you please get it over with already? Hey, were are we?"  
  
He was still jibbering when Shannara dropped him on the floor of the study and shifted back to her normal self. That gave him something new to talk about.  
  
"Wow, you're a wizard arn't you? What are you going to do with me? You don't eat panda do you? I...."  
  
"Quiet! I've heard quite enough from you! I'm trying to help you, you sily creature!"  
  
The, what had he called himself? Panda. Yes, the panda wasn't seeming all that cute anymore. Instead she was extremely frustrated with him.  
  
"Oh. In that case, I'm hungry."  
  
A few hours later the panda was sleeping soundly on a blanket in front of the fire.  
  
Pat watched it, unamused.  
  
"Why did you bring that -thing- here?"  
  
"It seemed to be in trouble."  
  
"It is trouble. I've never seen anything quite so...."  
  
"Cute?"  
  
"No, cute wasn't the word I was looking for. More like...."  
  
"Cuddley?"  
  
Pat growled. "No. Exactly the opposite in fact. It's a nuicance."  
  
Shannara laughed. "You're just jealouse."  
  
"Am not. What's to be jealouse of? He's nothing more than a dirty little obnoxious cub."  
  
"Ah, I think he's cute. Just don't tell him I said that."  
  
Pat shook his head slightly. "Don't worry, I would never dream of doing such a thing."  
  
With that he walked out, off to do whatever it was cats did. Probably sleep.  
  
Shannara watched the panda for a little while longer.  
  
It had vaguely told her were it came from, causing her to feel pity for it.  
  
It had no name, no home that it could remember. It's former master had been anything but nice. If you could trust his discription.  
  
And what was more, it had power. She could feel it. What that might mean was a different matter entirely.  
  
He awoke a short time later, ate, went back to sleep again. A few days and it was more than apparent that he was not in any way willing to earn his keep.  
  
Pat thought they should throw him out.  
  
And he still had no name.  
  
It was a bit of a problem for Shannara. "Hey you" only worked for so long.  
  
Finally one day after it awoke from an overly long nap, blinking up at her, it struck her.  
  
"You know what? I think I'll call you Blink. All you ever do is eat sleep and blink your eyes at me. Fitting yes?"  
  
The panda, or Blink, nodded. "Indeed." 


End file.
